Eritrea

Introducing Eritrea

Eritrea has two faces, split by the Great Rift Valley. The
western 'half' is fertile land while the east is a desert
descending to the coastline. Eritrea sits squarely over the Danakil
Depression, where three tectonic plates tug away from one another.
And if the possibility of the ground pulling apart underneath you
wasn't enough to complicate your movements on this land, getting
around in Eritrea once there, is tricky. It has some of the world's
most expensive fuel and even if you could afford a taxi or rental
vehicle, many of the country's roads are defunct or closed.
Instead, the only way to navigate the interior is by rail.

Still, despite the poor infrastructure and notable lack of
tourists, Eritrea is not without charm. With the Red Sea serving as
its coastline, diving to see coral and majestic sea life is a
rewarding experience and Eritrea's most popular tourist activity.
The exotic coastal town of Massawa is a good base for exploring the
coast. The capital of Asmara boasts some of the most intact
colonial (Italian) architecture in Africa, while to the south of
Asmara there are pre-Aksumite civilisation sites such as the ruins
of Qohaito, the ongoing excavation of which is constantly revealing
new mysteries.

Although, the tensions that existed between Eritrea and its
neighbour Ethiopia have improved considerably over the last decade,
risks remain. Many national government authorities, including the
British Foreign Office, advise against travel to parts of Eritrea
especially areas close to any of the country's land borders.

Navigation

Introducing Eritrea

Eritrea has two faces, split by the Great Rift Valley. The
western 'half' is fertile land while the east is a desert
descending to the coastline. Eritrea sits squarely over the Danakil
Depression, where three tectonic plates tug away from one another.
And if the possibility of the ground pulling apart underneath you
wasn't enough to complicate your movements on this land, getting
around in Eritrea once there, is tricky. It has some of the world's
most expensive fuel and even if you could afford a taxi or rental
vehicle, many of the country's roads are defunct or closed.
Instead, the only way to navigate the interior is by rail.

Still, despite the poor infrastructure and notable lack of
tourists, Eritrea is not without charm. With the Red Sea serving as
its coastline, diving to see coral and majestic sea life is a
rewarding experience and Eritrea's most popular tourist activity.
The exotic coastal town of Massawa is a good base for exploring the
coast. The capital of Asmara boasts some of the most intact
colonial (Italian) architecture in Africa, while to the south of
Asmara there are pre-Aksumite civilisation sites such as the ruins
of Qohaito, the ongoing excavation of which is constantly revealing
new mysteries.

Although, the tensions that existed between Eritrea and its
neighbour Ethiopia have improved considerably over the last decade,
risks remain. Many national government authorities, including the
British Foreign Office, advise against travel to parts of Eritrea
especially areas close to any of the country's land borders.